Optical Disk Image Drawing Method

ABSTRACT

An optical disk image drawing method includes: rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor; reading a predetermined information recorded on a track of a data recording layer; detecting a predetermined position on the track based on the read predetermined information; measuring a position of the spindle motor in a rotating direction using the detected predetermined position as a reference position; changing a focus position of the laser beam to the image drawing layer; starting forming the visible image on the image drawing layer from a predetermined position of the spindle motor in the rotating direction relative to the reference position based on the measured position of the spindle motor in the rotating direction; and sequentially moving an optical pick-up in the radial direction synchronously with the rotation of the spindle motor to proceed to form the visible image.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/768,292, filed Jun. 26, 2007, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-175860, filed Jun. 26,2006, the entire disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an optical disk image drawing methodfor forming a visible image (drawing an image) such as a picture, acharacter or the like on the surface of an optical disk and moreparticularly to an optical disk image drawing method for controlling animage drawing position by a laser beam outputted from one laser diode todraw an image by the laser beam.

JP-A-2002-203321 and JP-A-2005-346886 disclose a technique that an imagedrawing layer composed of a thermal sensitive layer or a photosensitivelayer is formed on a surface of an optical disk such as a CD capable ofrecording or a DVD capable of recording, an optical disk recordingdevice for recording data in a data recording layer of the optical diskis used as an optical disk image drawing device, and a laser beammodulated in accordance with image data is applied to the image drawinglayer from an optical pick-up to draw an image on the image drawinglayer. In the technique disclosed in JP-A-2002-203321, the front surfaceand the back surface of the optical disk are inverted relative to thearrangement of the optical disk at the time of recording data to draw animage. In the technique disclosed in JP-A-2005-346886, two diodes aremounted on one optical pick-up, laser beams (main beam) respectivelyoutputted therefrom are made to be coaxial, the data is recorded on thedata recording layer by the laser beam outputted from the first laserdiode thereof, position information is detected from the data recordinglayer by the laser beam at that time, and the image is drawn at apredetermined position of the image drawing layer by the laser beamoutputted from the second laser diode on the basis of the detectedposition information.

In the image drawing method disclosed in JP-A-2002-203321, when theimage is to be drawn on the optical disk arranged for the recording ofthe data, the optical disk needs to be temporarily ejected from anoptical disk device, the front surface and the back surface of theoptical disk needs to be inverted and the optical disk needs to beinserted again into the optical disk device. Thus, an operation istroublesome. In the technique disclosed in JP-A-2005-346886, both therecording of the data and the image drawing can be advantageouslycarried out without inverting the front and back surfaces of the opticaldisk. However, since the position information is detected from the datarecording layer by the laser beam outputted from the first laser diodeand the image is drawn at the predetermined position on the basis of theposition information detected by the laser beam outputted from thesecond laser diode, separate laser beams are required to draw the imagefor controlling an image drawing position and for drawing the image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve disadvantages in theabove-described related art and provide an optical disk image drawingmethod in which an image drawing position is controlled by a laser beamoutputted from one laser diode and an image is drawn by the laser beam.

<Control of Position in Rotating Direction of Disk>

A first optical disk image drawing method of the present inventionconcerns an optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible imageon an optical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with atrack and storing predetermined information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which islaminated on the data recording layer, wherein data can be recorded onthe data recording layer and visible image can be formed on the imagedrawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side of theoptical disk, the method comprising:

rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor;

reading the predetermined information recorded on the track by focusinga laser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an opticalpick-up on the data recording layer and tracking the laser beam on thetrack of the data recording layer;

detecting a predetermined position on the track based on the readpredetermined information as a reference position in the rotatingdirection;

measuring a position of the spindle motor in a rotating direction withrespect to the reference position;

changing focus of the laser beam from the data recording layer to theimage drawing layer after the reference position is detected;

starting forming the visible image on the image drawing layer from apredetermined relative position of the spindle motor in the rotatingdirection with respect to the reference position based on the measuredposition of the spindle motor in the rotating direction; and

sequentially moving the optical pick-up in the radial directionsynchronously with the rotation of the spindle motor to proceed to formthe visible image after the forming operation of the visible image isstarted.

According to the first optical disk image drawing method, the formingoperation of the visible image can be started from the predeterminedposition in the rotating direction using the predetermined position onthe track as a reference by employing the laser beam outputted from onelaser diode. Since the forming operation of the visible image can bestarted from the predetermined position in the rotating direction usingthe predetermined position on the track as a reference, the orientationof the visible image relative to the optical disk can be controlled.Accordingly, for instance, when the optical disk is ejected from anoptical disk device, then, the optical disk is inserted again into theoptical disk device to additionally draw an image (additional write,overwrite, etc.) after the image is drawn on the optical disk, the imagecan be additionally drawn by setting the orientation of the image tocorrespond to or substantially correspond to the orientation of thepreviously formed image. Further, when a character or a figure ispreviously printed on a part of a label surface by employing thepredetermined position on the track as a reference position in therotating direction, even if the image is not additionally drawn, animage can be drawn so that its orientation is set to correspond to orsubstantially correspond to the orientation of the figure.

In the first optical disk image drawing method, the position of thespindle motor in the rotating direction with respect to the referenceposition can be measured by, for instance, counting the number of pulsesof FG pulse generated from the spindle motor. In this case, the rotatingspeed of the spindle motor is controlled to be constant, and the timedifference between the detecting timing of the predetermined position onthe track and the generating timing of the FG pulse produced adjacentlyto the detecting timing is measured to correct the time difference andmeasure the position of the spindle motor in the rotating direction.Thus, the position of the spindle motor in the rotating direction withrespect the predetermined position on the track can be accuratelymeasured.

<Position Control in the Radial Direction of Disk 1>

A second optical disk image drawing method of the present inventionconcerns an optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible imageon an optical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with atrack and storing predetermined information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which islaminated on the data recording layer, wherein data can be recorded onthe data recording layer and visible image can be formed on the imagedrawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side of theoptical disk, the method comprising:

rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor;

reading the predetermined information recorded on the track by focusinga laser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an opticalpick-up on the data recording layer and tracking the laser beam on thetrack of the data recording layer;

detecting a predetermined position on the track based on the readpredetermined information as a reference position in the rotatingdirection;

measuring a position of the optical pickup in a disk radial directionwith respect to the reference position in the;

changing focus of the laser beam from the data recording layer to theimage drawing layer after the reference position is detected;

starting forming the visible image on the image drawing layer from apredetermined relative position of the optical pickup in the disk radialdirection with respect to the reference position based on the measuredposition of the optical pickup in the disk radial direction; and

sequentially moving the optical pick-up in the disk radial directionsynchronously with the rotation of the spindle motor to proceed to formthe visible image after the forming operation of the visible image isstarted.

The position of the optical pick-up in the disk radial direction withrespect to the reference position can be measured in accordance with,for instance, an amount of operation of a feed motor of the opticalpick-up.

According to the second optical disk image drawing method, the formingoperation of the visible image can be started from the predeterminedrelative position in the disk radial direction with respect to thepredetermined position in the track by using the laser beam outputtedfrom one laser diode.

<Position Control Using Position Control in Rotating Direction of DiskCombined with Position Control 1 in the Radial Direction of Disk>

A third optical disk image drawing method of the present inventionconcerns an optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible imageon an optical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with atrack and storing predetermined information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which islaminated on the data recording layer, wherein data can be recorded onthe data recording layer and visible image can be formed on the imagedrawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side of theoptical disk, the method comprising:

rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor;

reading the predetermined information recorded on the track by focusinga laser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an opticalpick-up on the data recording layer and tracking the laser beam on thetrack of the data recording layer;

detecting a predetermined position on the track based on the readpredetermined information as a reference position in the rotatingdirection and in the disk radial direction;

measuring a position of the spindle motor in a rotating direction and aposition of the optical pickup in a disk radial direction with respectto the reference position;

changing focus of the laser beam from the data recording layer to theimage drawing layer after the reference position is detected; and

starting forming the visible image on the image drawing layer from apredetermined relative position of the spindle motor in the rotatingdirection with respect to the reference position and a predeterminedrelative position of the optical pickup in the disk radial directionwith respect to the reference position based on the measured position ofthe spindle motor in the rotating direction and the measured position ofthe optical pickup in the disk radial direction.

According to the third optical disk image drawing method, the laser beamoutputted from one laser diode is used so that the forming operation ofthe visible image can be started from the predetermined position in therotating direction using the predetermined position of the optical diskas a reference and the predetermined relative position in the radialdirection with respect to the predetermined position.

<Position Control 2 in Radial Direction of Disk>

A fourth optical disk image drawing method of the present inventionconcerns an optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible imageon an optical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with atrack and storing predetermined information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which islaminated on the data recording layer, wherein data can be recorded onthe data recording layer and visible image can be formed on the imagedrawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side of theoptical disk, the method comprising:

rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor;

reading the predetermined information recorded on the track by focusinga laser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an opticalpick-up on the data recording layer and tracking the laser beam on thetrack of the data recording layer;

detecting a predetermined image drawing operation start position on thetrack from the read predetermined information;

changing focus of the laser beam from the data recording layer to theimage drawing layer at a position of the optical pickup in a disk radialdirection where the predetermined image drawing operation start positionis detected to start forming the visible image on the image drawinglayer; and

sequentially moving the optical pick-up in the radial directionsynchronously with the rotation of the spindle motor to proceed to formthe visible image after the forming operation of the visible image isstarted.

According to the fourth optical disk image drawing method, the laserbeam outputted from one laser diode is used so that the formingoperation of the visible image can be started from the position of theoptical pick-up in the disk radial direction where the predeterminedimage drawing operation start position is detected.

<Position Control by Track Pitch>

A fifth optical disk image drawing method of the present inventionconcerns an optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible imageon an optical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with atrack and storing position information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which islaminated on the data recording layer, wherein data can be recorded onthe data recording layer and visible image can be formed on the imagedrawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side of theoptical disk, the method comprising:

(a) rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor;

(b) reading the position information recorded on the track by focusing alaser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an optical pick-upon the data recording layer by a focus control and tracking the laserbeam on the track of the data recording layer by a tracking control;

(c) holding the tracking control and changing focus of the laser beamfrom the data recording layer to the image drawing layer at a positionin a disk radial direction where the position information representing apredetermined image drawing operation start position is detected andcarrying out a forming operation of the visible image to be formed at aposition in the disk radial direction from a predetermined position ofthe spindle motor in the rotating direction;

(d) setting the laser beam to a reproducing power, returning the focusof the laser beam from the image drawing layer to the data recordinglayer and tracking the laser beam on the track of the data recordinglayer after the forming operation of the visible image at the positionin the radial direction is completed;

(e) holding the tracking control and changing focus of the laser beamfrom the data recording layer to the image drawing layer at a positionof the track adjacent to the position in the disk radial direction wherethe tracking control has been held and carrying out the formingoperation of the visible image to be formed at a position in the diskradial direction from a predetermined position of the spindle motor inthe rotating direction; and

(f) subsequently repeating the steps (d) and (e) to sequentially movethe radial position where the forming operation of the visible image iscarried out at a pitch of the track and form the visible image.

According to the fifth optical disk image drawing method, the imagedrawing or drawing position can be controlled by the laser beamoutputted from one laser diode to draw or form the image at the trackpitch. In this fifth optical disk image drawing method, if the visibleimage to be formed has a no-image area in the radial direction where thevisible image does not need to be formed in an intermediate position inthe radial direction, the method further comprises the steps of:

setting the laser beam to the reproducing power, and focusing the laserbeam to the data recording layer when the position in the radialdirection where the forming operation of the visible image is performedreaches a start position of the no-image area;

seeking a forming operation restart position of the visible image thatpasses an end position of the no-image area based on the positioninformation recorded in the data recording layer;

holding the tracking control and changing the focus of the laser beamfrom the data recording layer to the image drawing layer at a positionwhere the forming operation restart position of the visible image issought; and

carrying out the forming operation to be formed at the position wherethe forming operation restart position of the visible image is soughtfrom the predetermined position of the spindle motor in the rotatingdirection.

In the first to fifth optical image drawing methods, as the“predetermined information” or the “position information”, pre-formatinformation, for instance, an ATIP (Absolute Time in Pre-Groove), anADIP (Address in Pre-groove) of a DVD+R format, a land pre-pit of aDVD-R format, etc. can be used. Further, in the case of what is called ahybrid CD-R disk in which a first session is already recorded and partsafter a second session can be recorded by a user, the positioninformation of sub-codes of the first session can be used in place ofthe position information by the ATIP. Further, in the case of a DVDcapable of recording data corresponding to the hybrid CD-R, thereference position can be set in accordance with the positioninformation by an ECC block of the already recorded data area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a system according toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing an arrangementexample of the structure of layers of an optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 and alaser beam.

FIG. 3 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing another arrangementexample of the structure of layers of the optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 andthe laser beam.

FIG. 4 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing other arrangementexample of the structure of layers of the optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 andthe laser beam.

FIG. 5 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing other arrangementexample of the structure of layers of the optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 andthe laser beam.

FIG. 6 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing other arrangementexample of the structure of layers of the optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 andthe laser beam.

FIG. 7 is a partly enlarged sectional view showing other arrangementexample of the structure of layers of the optical disk 12 of FIG. 1 andthe laser beam.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control at the time of recording data bythe structure of the system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement of pixelsforming one image to be drawn on an image drawing layer B of the opticaldisk 12.

FIG. 10 is a wave form diagram showing the change of a laser power of alaser beam 18 when the image is drawn on the image drawing layer B ofthe optical disk 12.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control at the time of drawing theimage by the structure of the system shown in FIG. 1 in the firstembodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example for setting areference position in the grooves C (track) of a data recording layer Aof the optical disk 12.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example for setting areference angle line 110 of the optical disk 12.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a state of a focus jump to theimage drawing layer B from the data recording layer A of the opticaldisk 12.

FIG. 15 is a plan view showing one example of a visible image 111 drawnon the image drawing layer B of the optical disk 12 by the control atthe time of drawing the image shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a control by which steps S11 to 13 ofFIG. 11 are replaced to reduce the shift of the orientation of the drawnimage with respect to the direction of the reference angle line 110 inthe control at the time of drawing the image shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 17 is a time chart showing an operation under the control of FIG.16.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a control by which a step S18 in FIG. 11is replaced to reduce the shift of the orientation of the drawn imagewith respect to the direction of the reference angle line 110 in thecontrol at the time of drawing the image shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 19 is a time chart showing an operation under the control of FIG.18.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a control at the time of drawing an imageby the structure of the system of FIG. 1 according to a secondembodiment.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a control at the time of drawing an imageby the structure of the system of FIG. 1 according to a thirdembodiment.

FIG. 22 shows a difference between a locus formed by drawing the imageby a laser beam 18 at the time of drawing the image according to animage drawing method of the third embodiment and that by other methodand is a plan view showing a part of the area of an image drawing layer.

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing one example of a visible image 111 drawnby skipping an area in the radial direction of a disk where the imagedoes not need to be drawn in the third embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the data structure of an ATIP of a CDformat.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the data structure of a sub-code of the CDformat.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a definition example of disk identifyinginformation allowing image drawing by the sub-code of the CD format.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the data structure of one sector of the CDformat.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a definition example of disk identifyinginformation allowing image drawing by the main data of the CD format.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a definition example of disk identifyinginformation allowing image drawing by the CRC error generating patternof the CD format

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing the data structure of an ADIP of a DVD+Rformat.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a deciding method of a disk capable ofdrawing an image by an optical disk device 10 when the disk identifyinginformation allowing image drawing is recorded on the data recordinglayer.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing an example of the form of a diskidentifying mark allowing image drawing in the optical disk 12.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a deciding method of a disk capable ofdrawing an image by the optical disk device 10 when the disk identifyingmark 117 allowing image drawing is formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First EmbodimentEmbodiment of First to Third Optical Disk Image Drawing Methods

Now, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG.1 shows the structure of a system of an optical disk device to which thepresent invention is applied. In the optical disk device 10, an opticaldisk 12 is formed as an optical disk capable of recording and drawing animage in which a data recording layer and an image drawing layer arelaminated and formed. The image drawing layer is composed of a thermalsensitive material or a photosensitive material and whose visibility ischanged by applying a laser beam thereto. The image drawing layer can becomposed of, for instance, the same coloring matter material as that ofthe data recording layer. On the data recording layer, a wobble grooveis formed as a track. The image drawing layer has a layer exclusive fordrawing an image and further, alternatively one layer of two layers thatare originally prepared as data recording layers like an existingDVD-R(+R) having one surface composed of two layers can be used as animage drawing layer. The optical disk 12 is rotated and driven by aspindle motor 14 and the recording of data, the reproduction of data andthe drawing of an image are selectively (asynchronously) carried out byone laser beam 18 (main beam) outputted from an optical pick-up 16. Thefront surface and the back surface of the optical disk 12 do not need tobe inverted at the time of recording and reproducing the data anddrawing the image. Recording data is recorded on the data recordinglayer so that the density of data in the direction of a circumference ofthe disk is constant (namely, so as to have constant linear velocity)irrespective of a position of the disk in the radial direction. Further,the image is drawn on the image drawing layer so that the number ofpixels for one circumference is constant (that is, the density of thepixels of a circumference of the disk in the direction is the moreincreased in an inner peripheral side) irrespective of the position ofthe disk in the radial direction.

A spindle servo 20 controls the rotation of the spindle motor 14 inaccordance with a command of a system control portion 22(microcomputer). The spindle motor 14 is CLV (constant linear velocity)controlled or CAV (constant angular velocity) controlled at the time ofrecording data and CAV controlled at the time of drawing an image. Apredetermined number of pulses of FG pulse are outputted for eachrotation from the spindle motor 14 at intervals of equal angle. An FGcounter 24 counts the number of pulses of the FG pulse.

The optical pick-up 16 is supported by a feed screw 26 fixed andarranged in parallel with the surface of the optical disk 12 and alongthe disk radial direction (toward the direction of a central axis of thedisk) and a stepping motor 28 rotates and drives the feed screw 26 aboutits axis of the screw so that the optical pick-up is moved in the diskradial direction. Both the recording of the data and the image drawingare performed from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheralside of the optical disk 12.

A structural example of layers of the optical disk 12 will be describedby referring to FIGS. 2 to 7. In any of the structures of the layersshown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the image drawing layer is arranged in a sidecloser to a viewing point from which the image drawn on the imagedrawing layer is viewed with respect to the data recording layer so thatthe image can be easily visually recognized. In FIGS. 2 to 7, a state isshown when the laser beam 18 outputted from an objective lens 30 of theoptical pick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the image drawing layer todraw the image. At the time of recording the data and at the time ofreproducing the data, the laser beam 18 is controlled to focus on thedata recording layer. In FIGS. 2 to 7, the same reference numerals areused for common parts. The data recording layer is designated by “A”,the image drawing layer is designated by “B” and the groove of the datarecording layer A is designated by “C”, respectively.

(Structural Example 1 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 2)

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 2 is the existing DVD-R(+R) having onesurface composed of two layers. In the optical disk 12, a coloringmatter layer 36 as the image drawing layer B, a translucent reflectinglayer 38, an intermediate layer 40 made of a transparent resin forming aspacer, a coloring matter layer 44 as the data recording layer A and areflecting layer 46 are sequentially laminated on a surface, on whichgrooves 34 are formed, of a polycarbonate substrate 32 having thethickness of 0.6 mm. Grooves C (42) are formed on the upper surface ofthe intermediate layer 40 by a stamper. A polycarbonate substrate 50having the thickness of 0.6 mm is bonded to the upper part of thereflecting layer 46 by an adhesive layer 48. Thus, the entire part ofthe optical disk 12 is formed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm(the thickness of the entire part of the laminated body interposedbetween the polycarbonate substrates 32 and 50 is extremely small). Thecoloring matter layer 36 originally forms the data recording layer as ause of the DVD-R(+R), however, the coloring matter layer 36 is used asthe image drawing layer B herein. Position information such as a landpre-pit, an ADIP or the like is previously respectively recorded in thegrooves 34 and C(42). When the data is recorded, the laser beam 18 forthe DVD outputted from the objective lens 30 of the optical pick-up 16is controlled to focus on the data recording layer A. When the image isdrawn, the laser beam 18 for the DVD is controlled to focus on the imagedrawing layer B. The visible image drawn on the image drawing layer Bcan be visually viewed from a surface 12 a side on which the laser beam18 of the optical disk 12 is incident (refer it to as a “laser incidentsurface”). On the side of a surface (refer it to as a “label surface”)12 b opposite to the laser incident surface 12 a of the optical disk 12,a printing layer having another image previously printed (or capable ofbeing printed by a user) can be separately formed.

<Structural Example 2 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 3>

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 3 is a DVD-R(+R) having one surfacecomposed of one layer to which an image drawing layer is added. In theoptical disk 12, a coloring matter layer 36 as the data recording layerA, a translucent reflecting layer 38, an intermediate layer 40 made of atransparent resin forming a spacer, a coloring matter layer 44 as theimage drawing layer B and a translucent reflecting layer 52 aresequentially laminated on a surface, on which grooves C(34) are formed,of a polycarbonate substrate 32 having the thickness of 0.6 mm. Apolycarbonate substrate 50 having the thickness of 0.6 mm is bonded tothe upper part of the translucent reflecting layer 52 by a transparentadhesive layer 54. Thus, the entire part of the optical disk 12 isformed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm (the thickness of theentire part of a laminated body interposed between the polycarbonatesubstrates 32 and 50 is extremely small). Position information such as aland pre-pit, an ADIP or the like is previously recorded in the groovesC. When the data is recorded, the laser beam 18 for the DVD outputtedfrom the objective lens 30 of the optical pick-up 16 is controlled tofocus on the data recording layer A. When the image is drawn, the laserbeam 18 for the DVD is controlled to focus on the image drawing layer B.The visible image drawn on the image drawing layer B can be visuallyviewed from a label surface 12 b side of the optical disk 12.

<Structural Example 3 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 4>

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 4 is a DVD-R(+R) having one surfacecomposed of one layer to which an image drawing layer is added. Theoptical disk 12 shown in FIG. 4 is different from the optical disk 12shown in FIG. 3 in the viewing direction at the drawn visible image.That is, in the optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 4, a coloring matter layer36 as the image drawing layer B, a translucent reflecting layer 38, anintermediate layer 40 made of a transparent resin forming a spacer, acoloring matter layer 44 as the data recording layer A and a reflectinglayer 46 are sequentially laminated on a surface of a polycarbonatesubstrate 32 having the thickness of 0.6 mm and having no grooves. Onthe upper surface of the intermediate layer 40, the grooves C (42) areformed by a stamper. A polycarbonate substrate 50 having the thicknessof 0.6 mm is bonded to the upper part of the reflecting layer 46, by anadhesive layer 48. Thus, the entire part of the optical disk 12 isformed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm (the thickness of theentire part of a laminated body sandwiched in between the polycarbonatesubstrates 32 and 50 is extremely small). In the grooves C, positioninformation such as a land pre-pit, an ADIP or the like is previouslyrecorded. When the data is recorded, the laser beam 18 for the DVDoutputted from the objective lens 30 of the optical pick-up 16 iscontrolled to focus on the data recording layer A. When the image isdrawn, the laser beam 18 for the DVD is controlled to focus on the imagedrawing layer B. The visible image drawn on the image drawing layer Bcan be visually viewed from a laser incident surface 12 a side of theoptical disk 12. On the surface of a label surface 12 b, a printinglayer having another image previously printed (or capable of beingprinted by a user) can be separately formed.

<Structural Example 4 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 5>

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 5 is formed as a CD-R having onesurface composed of two layers. In the optical disk 12, a coloringmatter layer 60 as the data recording layer A, a translucent reflectinglayer 62, an intermediate layer 64 made of a transparent resin forming aspacer, a coloring matter layer 68 as the image drawing layer B, atranslucent reflecting layer 70 and a transparent protecting layer 72are sequentially laminated on a surface, on which grooves C (58) isformed, of a polycarbonate substrate 56 having the thickness of 1.2 mm.An entire part is formed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm (thethickness of the entire part of a laminated body on the polycarbonatesubstrate 56 is very small). Grooves 66 are formed on the upper surfaceof the intermediate layer 64 by a stamper. The coloring matter layer 68originally forms the data recording layer as a use of the CD-R, however,the coloring matter layer 68 is used as the image drawing layer Bherein. In the grooves C (58) and 66, position information such as anATIP or the like is respectively previously recorded. When the data isrecorded, the laser beam 18 for the CD outputted from the objective lens30 of the optical pick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the datarecording layer A. When the image is drawn, the laser beam 18 for the CDis controlled to focus on the image drawing layer B. The visible imagedrawn on the image drawing layer B can be visually viewed from a labelsurface 12 b side of the optical disk 12.

<Structural Example 5 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 6>

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 6 is formed as a CD-R having an imagedrawing layer added. In the optical disk 12, a coloring matter layer 60as the data recording layer A, a translucent reflecting layer 62, anintermediate layer 64 made of a transparent resin forming a spacer, acoloring matter layer 68 as the image drawing layer B, a translucentreflecting layer 70 and a transparent protecting layer 72 aresequentially laminated on a surface of a polycarbonate substrate 56having the thickness of 1.2 mm and having grooves C (58) formed. Anentire part is formed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm (thethickness of the entire part of a laminated body on the polycarbonatesubstrate 56 is very small). Position information such as an ATIP or thelike is previously recorded in the grooves C. When the data is recorded,the laser beam 18 for the CD outputted from the objective lens 30 of theoptical pick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the data recording layer A.When the image is drawn, the laser beam 18 for the CD is controlled tofocus on the image drawing layer B. The visible image drawn on the imagedrawing layer B can be visually viewed from a label surface 12 b side ofthe optical disk 12.

<Structural Example 6 of Layers of Optical Disk: FIG. 7>

An optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 7 is formed as a CD-R having an imagedrawing layer added. The optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 7 is differentfrom the optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 6 in the viewing direction at thedrawn visible image. That is, in the optical disk 12 shown in FIG. 7, acoloring matter layer 60 as the image drawing layer B, a translucentreflecting layer 62, an intermediate layer 64 made of a transparentresin forming a spacer, a coloring matter layer 68 as the data recordinglayer A, a reflecting layer 74 and a protecting layer 76 aresequentially laminated on a surface of a polycarbonate substrate 56having the thickness of 1.2 mm and having no grooves. An entire part isformed integrally with the thickness of 1.2 mm (the thickness of theentire part of a laminated body on the polycarbonate substrate 56 isvery small). Position information such as an ATIP or the like ispreviously recorded in grooves C. When the data is recorded, the laserbeam 18 for the CD outputted from the objective lens 30 of the opticalpick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the data recording layer A. Whenthe image is drawn, the laser beam 18 for the CD is controlled to focuson the image drawing layer B. The visible image drawn on the imagedrawing layer B can be visually viewed from a laser incident surface 12a side of the optical disk 12. A printing layer having another imagepreviously printed (or capable of being printed by a user) can beseparately formed on the surface of a label surface 12 b.

<Structure and Operation of Optical Disk Apparatus 10>

Returning to FIG. 1, a motor driver 86 applies a drive pulse to thestepping motor 28 to move the optical pick-up 16 by an amount ofmovement corresponding to the number of drive pulses in the disk radialdirection. A drive pulse counter 87 counts up or down the number ofpulses of the drive pulse of the stepping motor 28 in the drivingdirection thereof to measure the amount of movement of the opticalpick-up 16 in the disk radial direction. Both the FG counter 24 and thedrive pulse counter 87 can be also realized by a counter implemented bysoftware set in the system control portion 22. A focus servo 88 carriesout a focus control of the optical pick-up 16. A focus jump signalgenerator 90 generates a focus jump signal (a jump pulse) for switchingan object to which the focus control of the optical pick-up 16 iscarried out to the image drawing layer B from the data recording layerA, and to the data recording layer A from the image drawing layer B. Thechange of the object layer to which the focus control is carried outusing the focus jump signal can be realized by using a well-known methodfor changing an object to which the focus control is carried out inrecording and reproducing the DVD having the one surface composed of thetwo layers or a DVD having two surfaces composed two layers.

A tracking servo 92 carries out a tracking control of the opticalpick-up 16. When the image is drawn, the tracking control relative tothe image drawing layer B of the optical disk 12 is held (an operationfor holding a tracking driving signal value applied to a trackingactuator to a value immediately before that value) or turned off (anoperation for setting the tracking driving signal value applied to thetracking actuator to 0) irrespective of whether or not the image drawinglayer B has grooves (namely, even when the image drawing layer B has thegrooves, the grooves are not used for drawing the image). Insteadthereof, the stepping motor 28 is driven synchronously with the rotationof the optical disk 12 to sequentially move the optical pick-up 16 at apredetermined pitch in the disk radial direction. At this time, theamount of movement of the optical pick-up 16 in the disk radialdirection is detected by counting the number of pulses of the drivepulse of the stepping motor 28 by the drive pulse counter 87. Asdescribed above, the control of the movement of the optical pick-up 16in the disk radial direction at the time of drawing the image is carriedout by driving the stepping motor 28 synchronously with the rotation ofthe optical disk 12 without relying on the tracking control. Thus, theimage can be drawn irrespective of whether or not the image drawinglayer B of the optical disk 12 has the grooves. Further, even when theimage drawing layer B has the grooves (for instance, the above-describedgrooves 34 of the image drawing layer B converted from the datarecording layer 36 in FIG. 2, the grooves 66 of the image drawing layerB converted from the data recording layer 68 in FIG. 5), the image isdrawn irrespective of the grooves (that is, without following thegrooves), so that intervals at which pixels are arranged in the diskradial direction can be independently set without depending on intervalsat which the grooves are arranged in the disk radial direction (trackpitch) and a degree of freedom can be obtained for forming image data{formed by the assembly of pixel data (data representing a gradation foreach pixel to be drawn)}.

An vibration signal generator 94 generates an vibration signal at thetime of drawing the image and applies the vibration signal to thetracking actuator of the optical pick-up 16 to vibrate the objectivelens 30 (FIGS. 2 to 7) thereby making the laser beam 18 to cause themicrovibrations of in the radial direction of the optical disk 12. Bythis vibration operation, the laser beam 18 meanders on the imagedrawing layer B of the optical disk 12 in accordance with the rotationof the disk and moves in the direction of the circumference of the disk.While the laser beam 18 is turned a plurality of times at the sameradial position, the optical pick-up 16 is sequentially moved by apredetermined micro pitch at a time in the outer peripheral direction todraw the image. Thus, the image can be formed without having littlespace in the disk radial direction. A method for drawing an image byturning the laser beam 18 a plurality of times at the same radialdirection to draw an image is described in detail in JP-A-2004-5847 andJP-A-2004-5848 filed by the applicant of the present invention.

A laser driver 96 drives a laser diode (not shown in the drawing) in theoptical pick-up 16. An ALPC (Automatic laser Power Control) circuit 98controls the power of the laser beam 18 outputted from the opticalpick-up 16 to a value commanded by the system control portion 22.

An encoder 106 encodes recording data to a predetermined format at thetime of recording the data. The laser driver 96 modulates the laser beam18 outputted from the optical pick-up 16 in accordance with the encodedrecording data and records the recording data in the data recordinglayer A of the optical disk 12 as pits. The encoder 106 generates, atthe time of drawing the image, a pulse signal (an image drawing pulse)whose duty changes in accordance with the gradation data of the pixelsrespectively forming the image data and having a constant cycle for eachpixel (below-described time corresponding to an angle Δθ of one pixelshown in FIG. 9). The laser driver 96 modulates the laser beam 18outputted from the optical pick-up 16 in accordance with the pulsesignal whose duty changes to change visible light characteristics of theimage drawing layer B of the optical disk 12. One pixel of the drawnimage is recognized as one point (a dot) by a human eye. Further, thedifference of the duty of the dots is perceived as the difference of thedensity of the drawn image by the human eye (when the duty is higher,the drawn image is perceived to be the thicker), so that the imagedrawing can be realized by a monochromatic multi-gradation.

A host device (a host computer) 100 transmits to the optical disk device10 the recording data at the time of recording the data and the imagedata at the time of drawing the image. The transmitted recording data orthe image data is received by an interface 102 of the optical diskdevice 10, temporarily stored in a buffer memory 104, then, read fromthe buffer memory 104 and supplied to the encoder 106 to carry out theabove-described encoding process and record the data or draw the image.At the time of reproducing the data, the data reproduced by a decoder(not shown in the drawing) is transferred to the host device 100 throughthe interface 102. Further, the host device 100 transmits a commandissued by an operator to the optical disk device 10 at the time ofrecording the data, at the time of reproducing the data and at the timeof drawing the image. This command is transmitted to the system controlportion 22 through the interface 102. The system control portion 22sends an instruction in accordance with the command respectively tocircuits of the optical disk device 10 to perform correspondingoperations.

The control of the optical disk 12 by the optical disk device 10 shownin FIG. 1 at the time of recording the data and at the time of drawingthe image will be described. It is assumed that as the optical disk 12,for instance, an optical disk having the structure shown in FIGS. 2 to 7is used, and the data is recorded in the data recording layer A thereofand the image is drawn on the image drawing layer B. In FIG. 8, acontrol flow at the time of recording the data is shown. This control isperformed in accordance with an instruction for recording the data by auser. In the host device 100, the recording data for recording the datais previously stored. When the optical disk 12 is inserted into theoptical disk device 10 and the instruction for recording the data issupplied from the user, the spindle motor 14 is rotated and driven, thefocus servo 88 is turned on and the laser beam 18 outputted from theoptical pick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the data recording layer Aby a reproducing power (S1). Further, the tracking servo 92 is turned on(S2) and the laser beam 18 is controlled to follow the grooves C of thedata recording layer A. The spindle servo 20 controls the spindle motor14 so that the wobble component of the grooves C extracted from atracking error signal has a predetermined frequency. Thus, the opticaldisk 12 is rotation controlled to have a predetermined linear velocityat a position irradiated with the laser beam 18 to record the data (aCLV recording by a CLV control). Otherwise, the spindle motor 14 may beCAV controlled at a predetermined rotating speed to record the data (aCLV recording by a CAV control). Under a CLV controlled state or a CAVcontrolled state, the position information (ATIP, ADIP, land pre-pit,etc.) of the optical disk 12 is read by the optical pick-up 16 to drivethe stepping motor 28 and the optical pick-up 16 is positioned at apredetermined radial position for starting the record of the data in theinner peripheral side of the disk.

As described above, when a preparation for recording the data isarranged, the host device 100 starts to transmit the recording data. Therecording data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 104 throughthe interface 102, then sequentially read from the buffer memory 104 ata constant data speed corresponding to a constant linear velocity of thedisk under the CLV control or at a variable data speed (data speedsynchronous with a wobble signal and increased the more in an outerperiphery) corresponding to a linear velocity at a recording positionunder the CAV control, and encoded by the encoder 106 to drive the laserdriver 96 through the ALPC circuit 98. Thus, the laser beam 18 modulatedto a binary value of the reproducing power and a recording power by therecording data is outputted from the optical pick-up 16 to start torecord the data on the data recording layer A of the optical disk 12(S3). Then, when the data proceeds to be recorded and the recording ofthe data is completed (S4), the control is finished.

Now, a control at the time of drawing the image will be described.Initially, the arrangement of the pixels forming one image to be drawnon the image drawing layer B of the optical disk 12 in this embodimentis described. The arrangement of the pixels is schematically shown inFIG. 9 (considering no meandering due to the above-described vibrationoperation). Reference numeral 12 c designates a center hole. The pixelsP11, P12, . . . , Pmn forming one image are concentrically arrangedabout the central point of the optical disk 12. A radial arrangementinterval, at which the pixels are arranged, Δr is constant. Acircumferential arrangement (angular) interval Δr is constant.Accordingly, the number of the pixels for one circumference is constantirrespective of a position of the pixel in the radial direction. Aimaginary half line extending in the radial direction of the opticaldisk 12 is determined to be an image reference angle line 11. Pixelstrings respectively arranged in circular forms in the radial positionsare respectively arranged in the directions of circumference byemploying an associated one of the pixels P11, P21, . . . , Pm1 on theimage reference angle line 11 as first pixels. Since a front surface anda back surface are inverted between the image viewed from an imagedrawing side (the laser incident surface 12 a side) and the image viewedfrom the label surface 12 b side, when the drawn image is visuallyviewed from the label surface 12 b side of the optical disk 12 (in thecase of the structure of the layers of the disk shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and6), an original image of the image to be drawn is used by inverting thefront and the back thereof to draw the image in such a way that thefront and the back are correctly displayed by viewing the image from aviewing side (the label surface 12 b side).

An image drawing operation by the laser beam 18 is sequentially carriedout from an inner peripheral side to an outer peripheral side byperforming the CAV (constant rotating speed) control of the optical disk12. Namely, the image drawing operation is started from the first pixelP11 of the pixel string in an innermost periphery and sequentiallyproceeds to P12, P13, . . . and when the image of the last pixel P1 n inthe innermost periphery is drawn, the optical pick-up 16 is immediatelymoved (otherwise, as described above, when the laser beam 18 is turned aplurality of times (k times) at the same radial position to draw theimage, for each of k times of turns) by a distance Δr in the outerperipheral direction to advance the image drawing operation to P12, P22,Subsequently, the image drawing operation is advanced by moving theoptical pick-up 16 by the distance Δr in the outer peripheral directionat a position immediately before the image reference angle line 11 everyturn (for each of k times of turns). When the image of the last pixelPmn in an outermost periphery is drawn, all processes are finished tocomplete the image drawing of the optical disk 12. As described above,since the image drawing operation is sequentially moved in the outerperipheral direction at the position immediately before the imagereference angle line 11 every turn (for each of k times of turns) andcontinuously carried out, the image is completely drawn m times of turns(or k×m times of turns). In this case, the optical disk 12 is rotatedunder the CAV control and each pixel data (gradation data) is encoded {apulse signal (an image drawing pulse) of a predetermined cycle (a cyclecorresponding to an angle Δθ of one pixel) during which a duty ischanged in accordance with the gradation data is formed} at a constantspeed synchronously with the rotation of the optical disk 12 to draw theimage. When only a first timing is adjusted so that the image of thefirst pixel P11 is drawn on the image reference angle line 11, theimages of the subsequent pixels P12, P13, . . . Pmn can be automaticallydrawn at predetermined positions.

At the time of drawing the image, for instance, the laser power of thelaser beam 18 changes as shown in FIG. 10. Namely, the laser beam 18 ischanged to the binary value of the reproducing power (a non-imagedrawing power) and the recording power (an image drawing power) at aduty factor which is constant during a period in which drawing periodfor one pixel corresponds to an angle Δθ for one pixel and which variesaccording to the tone data corresponding to each pixel. The visiblelight characteristics of the image drawing layer B are changed by therecording power to draw the image. Further, during the reproducingpower, a focus error is detected and the focus control is carried out onthe basis of the detected focus error. In FIG. 10, for the purpose ofsimplifying an explanation, the number of the image drawing pulses forone pixel is represented as one pulse, however, actually, as describedin JP-A-2004-355764 filed by the applicant of the present invention, theimage drawing pulse may be formed by an EFM signal of a shorter cycle todraw the image by a plurality of pulses for one pixel. In this case, theperiod of each recording power in FIG. 10 is modulated by the EFM signal(divided into short pulses). Since the average duty of the EFM signal is50% and constant, the duty of the image drawing pulse for one pixel (aduty obtained by adding up division pulses) has a value corresponding tothe gradation data of each pixel. Thus, the image drawing correspondingto the gradation data of each pixel can be realized.

FIG. 11 shows a control flow at the time of drawing the image. Thiscontrol is performed in accordance with an instruction for drawing theimage by a user. In the host device 100, image data for drawing theimage is previously stored. When the optical disk 12 is inserted intothe optical disk device 10 (or subsequently to the completion of therecording of the data) and the instruction for drawing the image issupplied from the user, the spindle motor 14 is rotated and driven, thefocus servo 88 is turned on and the laser beam 18 outputted from theoptical pick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the data recording layer Aof the optical disk 12 by the reproducing power (S10). Further, thetracking servo 92 is turned on (S11) and the laser beam 18 is controlledto follow the grooves C of the data recording layer A. The spindle motor14 is rotated and driven under the CLV control or the CAV control todetect a position previously determined as a reference position from thedata recording layer A by the optical pick-up 16.

FIG. 12 shows an example for setting the reference position. This viewschematically shows position information by an ATIP (in the case of a CDformat), an ADIP (in the case of a DVD+R format), and a land pre-pit (inthe case of a DVD-R format) as pre-format information recorded in thegrooves C of the data recording layer A. In this example, a sectornumber is represented by a simple integer for convenience sake, and aboundary position of a sector “0” and a sector “1” is determined as thereference position 108. In the case of what is called a hybrid CD-R diskin which a first session is decided to be already recorded and sessionsafter a second session are designed to be recorded by the user, areference position can be set by the sub-code position information ofthe first session in place of the position information by the ATIP.Further, in a DVD capable of recording data corresponding to the hybridCD-R, a reference position can be set by position information by an ECCblock in an already recorded data area.

An imaginary half line passing the reference position 108 and extendingin the disk radial direction is determined as a reference angle line110. The reference angle line 110 is located at the same position on thedata recording layer A and the image drawing layer B as shown in FIG.13. The image is drawn by employing the reference angle line 110 as areference position in the rotating direction. That is, when a partbefore the sector “0” is sought by the optical pick-up (S12 in FIG. 11)and the boundary position of the sector “0” and the sector “1”, that is,the reference position 108, is detected subsequently to the sector “0”(S13), the count value of the FG counter 24 (FIG. 1) is reset (set to“0”) (S14) to start counting the FG pulse by the FG counter 24 from thereference position 108. Every time the FG counter 24 reaches a valuecorresponding to one turn, the count value of the FG counter 24 isautomatically returned to “0” to repeat a counting operation. Thus, thecount value of the FG counter 24 corresponds to the position of arotating angle from the reference angle line 110 every turn. Namely,after the reference position 108 is detected once, the position of therotating angle from the reference angle line 110 can be known by thecount value of the FG counter 24 every turn without detecting again thereference position 108. The counting operation of the FG counter 24 iscontinuously carried out until the image is completely drawn. In such away, under a state that the counting operation of the FG pulse by the FGcounter 24 is repeated, the spindle motor 14 is CAV controlled to apredetermined speed determined as a speed at the time of drawing theimage. The CAV control is continuously carried out unit the imagedrawing is completed.

Further, when the reference position 108 is detected (S13), the countvalue of the drive pulse counter 87 (FIG. 1) is also reset (set to “0”)(S14) so that the drive pulse counter 87 starts counting the drive pulseof the stepping motor 28 from the reference position 108. Thus, theamount of movement of the optical pick-up 16 in the radial directionfrom the reference position 108 can be known by the count value of thedrive pulse counter 87.

When the reference position 108 is detected, the tracking control of theoptical pick-up 16 is turned off (or held) (S15) and the movement of theoptical pick-up 16 by the stepping motor 28 is also stopped. Under thisstate, while the laser beam 18 of the optical pick-up 16 is held to thereproducing power, a focus jump signal is applied to a focus actuator ofthe optical pick-up 16 to move, namely, jump the focusing position ofthe laser bean 18 to the image drawing layer B from the data recordinglayer A (S16). FIG. 14 shows a state of a focus jump. This shows a casethat the optical disk 12, in which the data recording layer A isarranged in a lower layer side and the image drawing layer B is arrangedin an upper layer side, for instance, the DVD-R(+R) having the structureshown in FIG. 3, is used. Under a state shown in FIG. 14( a) that thelaser beam 18 is allowed to focus on the recording layer A, when thereference position 108 is detected, the laser beam 18 is jumped upwardand allowed to focus on the image drawing layer B. In an optical disk ofa type that the image drawing layer B is arranged in the lower layerside and the data recording layer A is arranged in the upper layer side,the focus of the laser beam 18 is conversely jumped downward.

Under the state that the laser beam 18 is controlled to focus on theimage drawing layer B, the stepping motor 28 is driven to move theoptical pick-up 16 to a predetermined position in the radial directionfor starting an image drawing operation (S17). The position in theradial direction for starting the image drawing operation can beinstructed by the amount of movement of the optical pick-up 16 in theradial direction from the reference position 108. Since the amount ofmovement of the optical pick-up 16 in the radial direction from thereference position 108 is measured by the count value of the drive pulsecounter 87, the driving of the stepping motor 28 is stopped at aposition where the count value of the drive pulse counter 87 reaches avalue corresponding to the amount of movement of the optical pick-up 16in the radial direction that is instructed as an image drawing operationstart radial position, so that the optical pick-up 16 can reach theinstructed position in the radial direction for starting the imagedrawing operation. Here, since even when the “image drawing operation”is started, a “image drawing” (the change of the visible lightcharacteristics of the image drawing layer B) is not necessarilyimmediately started from that position depending on the contents of theimage data, the expression of the “an image drawing operation startradial position” is employed without using a “position in the radialdirection for starting the image drawing”. Namely, when the density ofthe pixel whose image is drawn at a position where the image drawingoperation is started is 0 (white), even if the “the image drawingoperation” is started, the “the image drawing” for changing the visiblelight characteristics of the image drawing layer B is not carried out atthat position. When a position first appears where the density of thepixel whose image is drawn is higher than 0, “the image drawing” isstarted.

As described above, when a preparation for drawing the image isarranged, the host device 100 starts to transmit the image data. Theimage data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 104 through theinterface 102, then sequentially read from the buffer memory 104 at aconstant speed synchronous with the rotating speed of the disk andencoded by the encoder 106. At a timing when the count value of the FGcounter 24 returns to “0” (that is, a timing when the laser beam 18comes on the reference angle line 110) (S18), the encoded image data issequentially outputted from the leading encoded image data (referring tothe example shown in FIG. 9, the pixels are outputted in order of thepixels P11, P12, . . . P1 n, P21, P22, . . . P2 n, . . . Pmn) to drivethe laser driver 96 through the ALPC circuit 98. Thus, the laser beam 18modulated to a binary value of the reproducing power (the non-imagedrawing power) and the recording power (the image drawing power) by theimage data is outputted from the optical pick-up 16 to start the imagedrawing operation to the image drawing layer B of the optical disk 12(the image drawing operation in which the number of pixels for one turnis constant irrespective of the position in the disk radial direction)(S19). When the image drawing operation is started, the stepping motor28 is driven synchronously with the rotation of the disk (driven onestep at a time every turn or every k turns(S20)) to sequentially movethe optical pick-up 16 in an outer peripheral direction a predeterminedmicro pitch at a time (the distance Δr in FIG. 9) (S21) and advance theimage drawing operation. At the time of drawing the image, the number ofthe drive pulses of the stepping motor 28 is continuously counted andthe position of the optical pick-up 16 in the disk radial direction fromthe reference position 108 is continuously measured. After that, whenthe image drawing proceeds and the count value of the drive pulsecounter 87 reaches a value corresponding to a position instructed as animage drawing operation termination radial position (the amount ofmovement of the optical pick-up 16 in the radial direction from thereference position 108) (S22), the image drawing operation is finished.

FIG. 15 shows one example of a visible image 111 drawn on the imagedrawing layer B of the optical disk 12 in accordance with theabove-described control of the image drawing operation shown in FIG. 11.When the optical disk 12 has the structure of the layers shown in FIGS.2, 4 and 7, the visible image 111 can be seen from the laser incidentsurface 12 a side. When the optical disk 12 has the structure of thelayers shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the visible image 111 can be seen fromthe label surface 12 b side. In the visible image 111 shown in FIG. 15,a radius R0 designates an image drawing operation start radial positionand a radius R1 designates an image drawing operation termination radialposition. Reference numeral 12 c designates a center hole. In theexample shown in FIG. 15, the image data (the assembly of the pixel datain FIG. 9) is formed so that the orientation of the image to be drawn isadjusted to the direction of the image reference angle line 11 in FIG.9. Further, since the image drawing operation is started by employingthe timing of the reference angle line 110 measured by the FG pulsecounter 24 as a reference (the image of the first pixel P11 shown inFIG. 9 is drawn on the reference angle line 110 of the optical disk 12),the visible image 111 is drawn by adjusting the direction thereof to thereference angle line 110 of the optical disk 12.

According to the first embodiment, since the front and the back of theoptical disk 12 do not need to be inverted in the data recordingoperation and the image drawing operation, a troublesome invertingoperation is not required. Further, since the inverting operation is notnecessary, a time till the image drawing operation is started after therecording of the data is completed can be shortened. Further, since thereference angle line 110 is determined in accordance with the detectionof the reference position 108 by the optical pick-up 16, and the imageis drawn by the optical pick-up 16 by using the determined referenceangle line 110 as the reference, the visible image can be formed byadjusting the direction thereof substantially to the direction of thereference angle line 110. Further, since the reference position 108 islocated in the data recording layer A, a mark as a reference positionmay not be provided on the image drawing layer B. Accordingly, an imagedrawing area can be ensured wider. In the above description, theboundary position between the sector “0” and the sector “1” is set asthe reference position 108, however, an arbitrary position on thegrooves C of the data recording layer A can be set as the referenceposition.

Modified Example 1 of First Embodiment

In the first embodiment, FG counter 24 is temporarily reset at thepredetermined reference position 108 (the boundary position of thesector “0” and the sector “1”), and then, the FG pulses generated afterthat are counted by the FG counter 24. Every time the count valuereaches a value corresponding to one turn, the count value is returnedto “0” to measure the position of rotating angle from the referenceangle line 110 every turn. However, in this method, when the resolutionof the FG pulse is low (when the number of FG pulses is small for oneturn), there is a possibility that a deviation angle (an offset angle)is large between the reference angle line 110 of the data recordinglayer A and a position where the FG pulse is generated. Then, in thefirst embodiment, at the time of drawing the image, since the generatingposition of the FG pulse is considered to be the position of thereference angle line 110 to draw the image, the offset angle appears asa deviation of the orientation of the drawn image with respect to thedirection of the reference angle line 110. Therefore, when the offsetangle is large, for instance, if the optical disk 12 is ejected from theoptical disk device 10 after the image is drawn on the optical disk 12,and then, the optical disk 12 is inserted again into the optical diskdevice 10 to additionally draw the image (additional write, overwrite),a conspicuous deviation may possibly arise in the orientation of theimage between the previously formed image and the additionally formedimage.

A method for reducing the deviation of the orientation of the drawnimage with respect to the direction of the reference angle line 110 willbe described below. This method improves the detecting resolution of thereference angle line 110 by using together the counting of the FG pulseand a counting by a counter implemented by the software of the systemcontrol portion 22. In this method, the steps S13 to S14 in the controlshown in FIG. 11 are replaced by a control shown in FIG. 16 (a detectingprocess of the reference angle line 110), and the step S18 is replacedby a control shown in FIG. 18 (an image drawing process from thereference angle line 110). A series of control will be described belowin which a part of the control shown in FIG. 11 is replaced as describedabove.

In FIG. 11, when the optical disk 12 is inserted into the optical diskdevice 10 (or subsequently to the completion of the recording of thedata), the spindle motor 14 is rotated and driven, the focus servo 88 isturned on and the laser beam 18 outputted from the optical pick-up 16 iscontrolled to focus on the data recording layer A of the optical disk 12by the reproducing power (S10). Further, the tracking servo 92 is turnedon (S11) and the laser beam 18 is controlled to follow the grooves C ofthe data recording layer A. The spindle motor 14 is CAV controlled to apredetermined rotating speed determined as a speed at the time ofdrawing the image. The CAV control is continuously carried out until theimage drawing operation is completed. Under this state, a part beforethe sector “0” is sought by the optical pick-up 16 to detect a positionpreviously determined as a reference position (the boundary position ofthe sector “0” and the sector “1”) from the data recording layer A(S12).

Subsequently, the procedure of the control shifts to FIG. 16. Anoperational example under the control of FIG. 16 is shown in FIG. 17. Inthe operational example of FIG. 17, as shown in FIG. 17( a), it isassumed that the FG pulse generate six pulses for one rotation. The FGcounter 24 is counted up by the leading edge of the FG pulse as shown inFIG. 17( b). FIG. 17( c) shows count values of the counter (refer it toas a “C counter”) implemented by software that are counted up by areference clock based on a crystal oscillating clock. The cycle ΔT1 ofthe reference clock is shorter than that of the FG pulse and a pluralityof pulses (in the example of FIG. 17, about four pulses) are generatedin one cycle of the FG pulse. When the cycle ΔT1 of the reference clockis made to be shorter, the detecting resolution of the reference angleline 110 can be the more improved.

Now, the control of FIG. 16 will be described by referring to FIG. 17.In this control flow, “C” designates the count value of the C counter.Subsequently to the step S12 of FIG. 11, the C counter is reset to aninitial value (S30 in FIG. 16). The C counter is counted up for eachtime ΔT1 by the reference clock (S33, S34) and reset to “0” (S35, seeFIG. 17( c)) every time the leading edge of the FG pulse is detected(S32). When the part before the sector “0” is sought (S12 of FIG. 11)and the boundary position of the sector “0” and the sector “1”, that is,the reference position 108, is detected subsequently to the sector “0”(S31 in FIG. 16), the FG counter 24 is reset to “0” (S36) and the countvalue C of the C counter at that time (in the example of FIG. 17( c),C=2) is stored in a memory of the system control portion 22 as an offsetvalue C0 of the reference position 108 from the leading edge of the FGpulse immediately before the reference position (S37). Subsequently,while the rotation of the disk is CAV controlled to a predeterminedrotating speed determined as a speed at the time of drawing the image,the count of the FG pulse by the FG counter 24 (the count value isautomatically returned to “0” every time the count value reaches a valuecorresponding to one turn) and the count of the reference clock by the Ccounter are continuously carried out. Thus, timing when the count valueof the FG counter 24 is “0” and the count value of the C counter is C0is detected as a timing of the reference angle line 110 for each turn.The detection of the timing of the reference angle line 110 for eachturn by the FG counter 24 and the C counter is continuously performeduntil the image drawing operation is completed. In such a way, under astate that the timing of the reference angle line 110 is continuouslydetected, the procedure of the control shifts to the step S15 of FIG.11.

In the step S15 of FIG. 11, the tracking control of the optical pick-up16 is turned off (or held) and the movement of the optical pick-up 16 bythe stepping motor 28 is also stopped. Under this state, while the laserbeam 18 of the optical pick-up 16 is held to the reproducing power, afocus jump signal is applied to a focus actuator of the optical pick-up16 to move, namely, jump the focusing position of the optical pick-up 16to the image drawing layer B from the data recording layer A (S16).Then, under the state that the laser beam 18 is controlled to focus onthe image drawing layer B, the stepping motor 28 is driven to move theoptical pick-up 16 to a predetermined image drawing operation startradial position (S17). The arrival of the optical pick-up 16 at thepredetermined image drawing operation start radial position can be knownby the count value of the drive pulse counter 87 (FIG. 1).

Subsequently, the procedure of the control shifts to FIG. 18. Anoperational example under the control of FIG. 18 is shown in FIG. 19.The control of FIG. 18 is described by referring to FIG. 19. In the stepS17 of FIG. 11, when the optical pick-up 16 reaches the image drawingoperation start radial position, the C counter is reset to an initialvalue (S40 in FIG. 18). The C counter is counted up for each time ΔT1 bythe reference clock and reset to “0” every time the leading edge of theFG pulse is detected. After the count value of the FG counter 24 isreset to “0” in the step S36 in the detecting process of the referenceangle line 110 in FIG. 16, the count value is automatically returned to“0” every time the count value of the FG counter 24 reaches a valuecorresponding to one turn to repeat the count of the FG pulse.

At a timing when the FG counter is returned to “0” (S41), the C counteris counted up for each timeΔT1 by the reference clock (S43, S44) and thecount value of the C counter reaches the offset value C0 stored in thememory, a WRITE GATE signal is outputted as shown in FIG. 19( d), andthe procedure shifts to the step S19 of FIG. 11 to start the imagedrawing operation. As described above, since the timing when the countvalue of the FG counter 24 is “0” and the count value of the C counteris C0 corresponds to the timing of the reference angle line 110 for eachturn, the image drawing operation is accurately started from theposition of the reference angle line 110. Accordingly, when the opticaldisk 12 is ejected from the optical disk device 10 after the image isdrawn on the optical disk 12, and then, the optical disk 12 is insertedagain into the optical disk device 10 to additionally draw the image(additional write, overwrite), the image can be additionally drawnwithout generating a conspicuous deviation in the orientation of theimage between the previously formed image and the additionally formedimage. After that, the control of the steps S20 to S23 in FIG. 11 iscarried out to complete the image drawing.

Modified Example 2 of First Embodiment

In the modified example 1, the count of the FG pulse and the count ofthe reference clock are used together to improve the detectingresolution of the reference angle line. However, a frequency multipliedpulse of the FG pulse may be used in place of the count of the referenceclock. In this case, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 1, a multiplier113 frequency multiplies the FG pulse outputted from the spindle motor14 by a predetermined multiple and a multiplied-FG-pulse counter 115counts the frequency-multiplied FG pulse The multiplied-FG-pulse counter115 is used in the same manner as that of the C counter in the modifiedexample 1 (see FIGS. 16 to 19). Namely, in the detecting process of thereference angle line 110 in FIG. 16, the count value of themultiplied-FG-pulse counter 115 is counted up according to themultiplied FG pulse and reset to “0” every time the leading edge of theFG pulse is detected (see the operation of the C counter in FIG. 17(c)). When the reference position 108 (FIG. 12) is detected, the countvalue of the FG counter 24 is reset to “0” and the count value of themultiplied FG counter 115 at that time (referring to the example of FIG.17( c), C=2) is stored in the memory of the system control portion 22 asan offset value of the reference position 108 from the leading edge ofthe FG pulse immediately before the reference position.

In the image drawing process from the reference angle line 110 in FIG.18, the count value of the multiplied-FG-pulse counter 115 issequentially counted up according to the multiplied FG pulse and isreset to “0” every time the leading edge of the FG pulse is detected.After the count value of the FG counter 24 is reset to “0” at thereference position 108 in the detecting process of the reference angleline 110, the count value is automatically returned to “0” every timethe count value of the FG counter 24 reaches a value corresponding toone turn to repeat the count of the FG pulse. Since a timing when the FGcounter 24 is returned to “0”, and when the count value of themultiplied-FG-pulse counter 115 reaches the offset value stored in thememory (referring to the example in FIG. 19( c), a timing of C=2)corresponds to the timing of the reference angle line 110 for each turn,the WRITE GATE signal (see FIG. 19( d)) is outputted at this timing tostart the image drawing operation. Thus, the image drawing operation isaccurately started from the position of the reference angle line 110.

Second Embodiment Embodiment of Fourth Optical Disk Image Drawing Method

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As thestructure of a system, the above-described structure shown in FIG. 1 canbe used as it is. A control at the time of drawing an image according tothe second embodiment is shown in FIG. 20. This control is performed inaccordance with an instruction for drawing the image by a user. In ahost device 100, image data for drawing the image is previously stored.The image data has pixels respectively arranged as shown in FIG. 9. Whenan optical disk 12 is inserted into an optical disk device 10 (orsubsequently to the completion of the recording of the data) and theinstruction for drawing the image is supplied from the user, a spindlemotor 14 is rotated and driven, a focus servo 88 is turned on and alaser beam 18 outputted from an optical pick-up 16 is controlled tofocus on a data recording layer A of the optical disk 12 by areproducing power (S50). Further, a tracking servo 92 is turned on (S51)and the laser beam 18 is controlled to follow the grooves C of the datarecording layer A. The spindle motor 14 is CAV controlled to apredetermined rotating speed determined as a speed at the time ofdrawing the image. This CAV control is continuously carried out until animage drawing operation is completed.

Subsequently, a part before an address instructed as a position forstarting the image drawing operation is sought by detecting pre-formatinformation such as an ATIP, an ADIP or the like (S52). Then, when theaddress for starting the image drawing operation is detected (S53), thetracking control of the optical pick-up 16 is turned off (or held)(S54). The count value of a drive pulse counter 87 is reset to “0”.Under this state, a focus jump signal is applied to a focus actuator ofthe optical pick-up 16 to move, namely, jump the focusing position ofthe laser beam 18 to an image drawing layer B from the data recordinglayer A (S55) to start the image drawing operation from the position(S56). Namely, the image data transmitted from the host device 100 istemporarily stored in a buffer memory 104 through an interface 102, thensequentially read from the buffer memory 104 at a constant speedsynchronous with the rotating speed of the disk and encoded by anencoder 106, and the read image data is sequentially outputted from thefirst image data (referring to the example shown in FIG. 9, the pixelsare outputted in order of the pixels P11, P12, . . . P1 n, P21, P22, . .. P2 n, . . . Pmn) to drive a laser driver 96 through an ALPC circuit98. Thus, the laser beam 18 modulated to a binary value of a reproducingpower (a non-image drawing power) and a recording power (an imagedrawing power) by the image data is outputted from the optical pick-up16 to start the image drawing operation to the image drawing layer B ofthe optical disk 12 (the image drawing operation in which the number ofpixels for one turn is constant irrespective of a position in the diskradial direction).

When the image drawing operation is started, a stepping motor 28 isdriven synchronously with the rotation of the disk one step at a timeevery turn or every k turns to sequentially move the optical pick-up 16in an outer peripheral direction by a predetermined micro pitch (thedistance Δr in FIG. 9) and advance the image drawing operation (S57,S58). When the count value of the drive pulse counter 87 reaches a valuecorresponding to a position instructed as an image drawing operationtermination radial position (S59), the image drawing operation isfinished (S60).

According to the second embodiment, since the front and the back of theoptical disk 12 do not need to be inverted to record the data and drawthe image, a troublesome inverting operation is not necessary. Further,since the inverting operation is not necessary, a time until the imagedrawing operation is started after the data is recorded can beshortened.

Third Embodiment Embodiment of Fifth Optical Disk Image Drawing Method

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Inthis method, an address on the grooves C of a data recording layer A isdetected and an optical pick-up is sequentially moved at a track pitch(0.74 μm in the case of a DVD, and 1.6 μm in the case of a CD) in theradial direction of a disk to draw an image at the track pitch.According to this method, for instance, an imaginary half line extendingin the radial direction of the optical disk (for instance, theabove-described reference angle line 110 of FIG. 12) is assumed, and anaddress at a position where the groove C of the data recording layer Aintersects the imaginary half line for each turn (an address bypre-format information such as ATIP, ADIP or the like, refer it to as an“address on a reference angle line”) is previously obtained (obtainedbased on the linear velocity and the track pitch of the optical disk)and stored in a memory. The addresses on the reference angle line aresequentially detected on the data recording layer A, and a trackingcontrol is held to jump a focus to an image drawing layer B every timethe address on the reference angle line is detected, so that an imagecan be drawn for each corresponding position in the radial direction. Asthe structure of a system, the above-described structure shown in FIG. 1can be used as it is. However, as a feeding motor of the optical pick-up16, an inexpensive DC motor may be used in place of the stepping motor28 to reduce a cost.

A control at the time of drawing an image according to the thirdembodiment is shown in FIG. 20. This control is performed in accordancewith an instruction for drawing the image by a user. In a host device100, image data for drawing the image is previously stored. The imagedata has pixels respectively arranged as shown in FIG. 9 (in this case,Δr=track pitch). The image data in each radial position is started froma position on the imaginary half line extending in the disk radialdirection (for instance, the above-described image reference angle line11 shown in FIG. 9). Further, it is assumed that the address on thereference angle line for each track pitch is previously calculated andstored in a system control portion 22 of an optical disk device 10.

When the optical disk 12 is inserted into the optical disk device 10 (orsubsequently to the completion of the recording of the data), a spindlemotor 14 is CAV controlled to a predetermined rotating speed determinedas a speed at the time of drawing the image. The CAV control is carriedout until an image drawing operation is finished. Then, a focus servo 88is turned on (S60) and a laser beam 18 outputted from the opticalpick-up 16 is controlled to focus on the data recording layer A of theoptical disk 12 by a reproducing power. Further, a tracking servo 92 isturned on (S61) and the laser beam 18 is controlled to follow thegrooves C of the data recording layer A. Under this state, a part beforethe address on the reference angle line at an image drawing operationstart radial position is sought by the optical pick-up 16 (S62).

When the address on the reference angle line at the image drawingoperation start radial position is detected (S63), the tracking controlof the optical pick-up 16 is held and the movement of the opticalpick-up 16 by the stepping motor 28 is also stopped (S64). Under thisstate, while the laser beam 18 of the optical pick-up 15 is maintainedto a reproducing power, a focus jump signal is applied to a focusactuator of the optical pick-up 16 to move, namely, jump the focusingposition of the laser beam 18 to the image drawing layer B from the datarecording layer A (S65). When the focusing position of the laser beam isjumped to the image drawing layer B, the image drawing operation isstarted from a predetermined position in the rotating direction detectedby an FG counter 24 (S66). Namely, image data transmitted from a hostdevice 100 is temporarily stored in a buffer memory 104 through aninterface 102, then sequentially read from the buffer memory 104 at aconstant speed synchronous with the rotating speed of the disk andencoded by an encoder 106. The image data at the an image drawingoperation start radial position is sequentially outputted from the firstimage data (referring to the example shown in FIG. 9, the pixels areoutputted in order of the pixels P11, P12, . . . P1 n) to drive a laserdriver 96 through an ALPC circuit 98. Thus, the laser beam 18 modulatedto a binary value of a reproducing power (a non-image drawing power) anda recording power (an image drawing power) by the image data isoutputted from the optical pick-up 16 to perform the image drawingoperation at the an image drawing operation start radial position on theimage drawing layer B of the optical disk 12. Then, when the spindlemotor 14 rotates number of times determined as the number of turns fordrawing the image at the same position in the radial direction (S67),the image drawing is finished at the image drawing operation startradial position (S68) and the laser beam 18 is returned to thereproducing power.

Subsequently, the holding state of the tracking control is released(S70) to apply a focus jump signal in an opposite direction to that ofthe last time to the focus actuator of the optical pick-up 16 and jumpthe focusing position of the laser beam 18 to the data recording layer Afrom the image drawing layer B (S71). Then, the tracking control isturned on (S61) to seek a part before an address of a next track (atrack adjacent to an outer peripheral side of the image drawingoperation start radial position) on the reference angle line (S62). Whenthe corresponding address on the reference angle line is detected (S63),the tracking control of the optical pick-up 16 is held at that positionand the movement of the optical pick-up 16 by the stepping motor 28 isalso stopped (S64). Under this state, while the laser beam 18 of theoptical pick-up 16 is held to the reproducing power, a focus jump signalis applied to the focus actuator of the optical pick-up 16 to move,namely, jump the focusing position of the laser beam 18 to the imagedrawing layer B from the data recording layer A (S65). When the focusingposition of the laser beam is jumped to the image drawing layer B, theimage data at the position in the disk radial direction is sequentiallyoutputted from the first image data (referring to the example shown inFIG. 9, the pixels are outputted in order of the pixels P21, P22, . . .P2 n) to sequentially draw the image from the predetermined position inthe rotating direction detected by the FG counter 24 (S66, S67).

A series of processes are repeated including operations that the opticalpick-up 16 is positioned in the radial direction by reading the positioninformation of the data layer A, the tracking control is held to jumpthe focus to the image drawing layer B, the image is drawn in the radialdirection and the focus is jumped to the data recording layer A.Accordingly, the image drawing operation sequentially advances in theouter peripheral direction at the track pitch. Then, when the imagedrawing at the last radial direction is finished (S69), the imagedrawing operation is finished.

FIG. 22 shows a difference between loci formed by drawing the image onthe image drawing layer by the laser beam 18 at the time of drawing theimage according to the above-described image drawing method of the thirdembodiment and loci formed by other method. FIG. 22( a) shows the lociformed by drawing the image when the stepping motor 28 is micro-stepdriven to move the optical pick-up to draw the image, and an interval ofthe loci formed by drawing the image is varied due to an unevenness inthe motor itself or a control circuit of the motor. Such a variation ofthe interval of the loci obtained by drawing the image generatesunevenness in the formed image. FIG. 22( b) shows the loci formed bydrawing the image when the stepping motor is full-step driven to movethe optical pick-up to draw the image. Ordinarily, since an amount ofmovement of one full-step is large (several 10 to several 100 μm or so),the space of the locus formed by drawing the image is wide to obtain arough image. FIG. 22( c) shows the loci formed by drawing the imageaccording to the third embodiment. According to this method, since theloci formed by drawing the image has a narrow interval (1.6 μm or 0.74μm) the same as that of the track pitch and is uniform, a fine and clearimage can be drawn without unevenness.

According to the third embodiment, since the front and the back of theoptical disk 12 do not need to be inverted to record the data and drawthe image, a troublesome inverting operation is not necessary. Further,since the inverting operation is not necessary, a time until the imagedrawing operation is started after the data is recorded can beshortened.

In the third embodiment, when a visible image to be drawn has an area inthe disk radial direction where the image does not need to be drawn inan intermediate position in the disk radial direction, the position inthe radial direction can be skipped. That is, when the image drawing ofa position in the disk radial direction immediately before the area inthe disk radial direction where the image does not need to be drawn isfinished (S68 of FIG. 21), the laser beam 18 is returned to thereproducing power, the holding state of the tracking control is released(S70) and the focusing position of the laser beam 18 is jumped to thedata recording layer A from the image drawing layer (S71). Then, thetracking control is turned on (S61) to seek a part before an address ofa track on the reference angle line at a position passing the area inthe disk radial direction where the image does not need to be drawn(S62). When the corresponding address on the reference angle line isdetected (S63), the tracking control of the optical pick-up 16 is heldand the movement of the optical pick-up 16 by the stepping motor 28 isalso stopped (S64). Under this state, while the laser beam 18 of theoptical pick-up 16 is held to the reproducing power, the focus jumpsignal is applied to the focus actuator of the optical pick-up 16 tojump the focusing position of the laser beam 18 to the image drawinglayer B from the data recording layer A (S65). When the focusingposition of the laser beam is jumped to the image drawing layer B, theimage data at the position in the disk radial direction is sequentiallyoutputted from the first data thereof and the image is sequentiallydrawn from the predetermined position in the rotating direction detectedby the FG counter 24 (S66, S67). In such a way, the area in the diskradial direction where the image does not need to be drawn is skipped todraw image, so that a time required for drawing image can be shortened.

FIG. 23 shows an example of the visible image 111 drawn as describedabove in the third embodiment by skipping the area in the disk radialdirection where the image does not need to be drawn. The visible image111 has radiuses R0 to R1 and the image to be drawn is included in allthe areas thereof. The areas of the radiuses R0 to Ra and Rb to R1designate areas 111 a where the image to be drawn is present and theimage needs to be drawn. The area of the radius Ra to Rb designates anarea 111 b where the image to be drawn is not present and the image doesnot need to be drawn. Reference numeral 12 c designates a center hole.The image drawing operation is started at the radius R0 and temporarilyinterrupted at the radius Ra, the radius Ra to Rb is skipped, and theimage drawing operation is resumed at the radius Rb and finished at theradius R1.

<Judging Method 1 for Disk Capable of Drawing Image>

When the image is to be drawn on the surface of the optical disk,whether or not the optical disk on which the image is to be drawn is adisk capable of drawing the image needs to be previously judged.Examples of judging methods will be described below. In this method,when identifying information showing that the optical disk is the diskon which the image can be drawn (disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing) is newly defined to record data on the datarecording layer A of the optical disk 12 and the optical disk isinserted into the optical disk device 10 (FIG. 1), it is judged whetheror not the inserted optical disk is a disk on which the image can bedrawn depending on whether or not the disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing can be read by the optical pick-up 16.

Definition Example 1 of Disk Identifying Information of Allowing theImage Drawing in CD Format

When the data recording layer A is formed by a CD format, the diskidentifying information of allowing the image drawing can be recorded byusing the undefined code of an ATIP. FIG. 24 shows the structure of thedata of the ATIP. In this data structure, it is assumed that “U1” is “1”and the disk identifying information of allowing the image drawing canbe put in “U2 to U7”. For instance, “U1 to U7”=“1010101” can be definedas the disk identifying information of allowing the image drawing.

Definition Example 2 of Disk Identifying Information of Allowing ImageDrawing in CD Format

For instance, in the case of what is called a hybrid CD-R disk in whicha first session is already recorded and parts after a second session canbe recorded by a user, the undefined codes of sub-codes R to W of thefirst session are used to record the disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing. FIG. 25 shows the data structure of thesub-codes. In this data structure, when “MODE”=“111” and “ITEM”=“000”,the sub-codes R to W show a user mode so that the user can freely define“INSTRUCTION” and “DATA field”. Thus, for instance, a case that“INSTRUCTION”=“010101”, and “DATA field” shows a pattern illustrated inFIG. 26 can be defined as the disk identifying information of allowingthe image drawing.

Definition Example 3 of Disk Identifying Information of Allowing ImageDrawing in CD Format

Similarly, in the case of what is called a hybrid CD-R disk in which thefirst session is already recorded and the parts after the second sessioncan be recorded by the user, the disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing can be recorded in the main data of a read-inarea or a read-out area of the first session. FIG. 27 shows a datastructure of one sector of the CD format. In this data structure, datahaving a meaning is recorded in “data” in a program area. However, sincethe “data” in the read-in area or the read-out area is not read by adrive, data having no meaning such as random data or zero data isordinarily recorded. Thus, the disk identifying information of allowingthe image drawing can be recorded in the “data” of the read-in area orthe read-out area. One example of the disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing that is recorded in the “data” of the read-inarea or the read-out area is shown in FIG. 28. In this example, a datavalue is increased one by one.

Definition Example 4 of Disk Identifying Information of Allowing ImageDrawing in CD Format

Similarly, in the case of what is called a hybrid CD-R disk in which thefirst session is already recorded and the parts after the second sessioncan be recorded by the user, a specific CRC error generating pattern ofthe first session can be defined as the disk identifying information ofallowing the image drawing. An example of the CRC error generatingpattern is shown in FIG. 29. Numbers 0 to 89 designates addresses N to(N+89) of sub-code frames from an arbitrary sub-code frame N. “O” showsthe sub-code frame having no CRC error. “X” shows the sub-code framehaving the CRC error. In the example shown in FIG. 29, the pattern thatthe CRC error is generated at intervals of addresses of the multiples of3 subsequent to the address N is defined as the disk identifyinginformation of allowing the image drawing. Then, the sub-codes arerecorded so that such a CRC error generating pattern is obtained.

Definition Example of Disk Identifying Information of Allowing ImageDrawing in DVD+R Format

When the data recording layer A is formed by a DVD+R or a DVD+RW format,the disk identifying information of allowing the image drawing can berecorded by using the undefined code of an ADIP. FIG. 30 shows thestructure of the data of the ATIP. In this data structure, when thevalues of “b7 to b4” of “Byte 1” are set to values except “0000”, thedisk identifying information of allowing the image drawing can berecorded. For instance, “b7 to b4”=“1010” can be defined as the diskidentifying information of allowing the image drawing. In the case of aDVD-R or a DVD-RW format using a land pre-pit, the disk identifyinginformation of allowing the image drawing can be recorded by using theundefined code of the land pre-pit,

FIG. 31 shows a judging flow of the disk that can draw the image by theoptical disk device 10 when the disk identifying information of allowingthe image drawing is recorded on the recording layer A. When the opticaldisk 12 is inserted into the optical disk device, a focus search iscarried out (S80). It is judged whether or not the optical disk is adisk having two layers (S81). The judgment as to whether or not the diskincludes the two layers by searching the focus is carried out dependingon whether or not two focusing positions are obtained, when, forinstance, a chopping wave is applied to the focus actuator to drive theobjective lens 30 (FIG. 2 to FIG. 7) from a lower end position to anupper end position. When the two focusing positions are not obtained, itis judged that there is no image drawing layer B to permit the data tobe recorded only on the laser incident surface 12 a.

When the two focusing positions are obtained, it is judged that theimage can be drawn to allow the laser beam 18 to focus on the datarecording layer A (S82). Then, the spindle motor 14 is driven, thetracking servo 92 of the optical pick-up 16 is turned on (S83) and thelaser beam 18 is allowed to follow the grooves C of the data recordinglayer A. Then, the area of the data recording layer A on which the diskidentifying information of allowing the image drawing is recorded issought (S84). The data of the area is read (S85) to judge whether or notthere is the disk identifying information of allowing the image drawing(S86). When the disk identifying information of allowing the imagedrawing is detected, it is judged that the image can be drawn on theimage drawing layer B (S87) to draw the image by waiting for aninstruction for drawing the image from the user. On the other hand, whenthe disk identifying information of allowing the image drawing is notdetected, it is judged that the image cannot be drawn on the imagedrawing layer B (S88) to permit the data to be recorded only on thelaser incident surface 12 a.

<Judging Method 2 for Disk Capable of Drawing Image>

In this method, a disk identifying mark of allowing image drawing thatcan be detected by the optical pick-up 16 is formed on the surface ofthe disk substrate of the laser incident surface 12 a side of theoptical disk 12 capable of drawing the image. When the optical disk isinserted into the optical disk device 10 (FIG. 1), it is judged whetheror not the image can be drawn on the inserted optical disk depending onwhether or not the disk identifying mark of allowing the image drawingcan be read by the optical pick-up 16.

FIG. 32 shows an example of the form of the disk identifying mark ofallowing image drawing. FIG. 32( a) shows the structure of the laserincident surface 12 a side of the optical disk 12 capable of drawing theimage. FIG. 32( b) shows an image drawing area of the optical disk 12.The structure of the layers of the optical disk 12 is shown in, forinstance, FIGS. 2 to 7. On the surface of the disk substrate of thelaser incident surface 12 a side of the optical disk 12, the diskidentifying mark 117 of allowing image drawing is formed by printing inblack. In this example, disk identifying mark 117 of allowing imagedrawing is formed with four bars printed at intervals of 90° in theperiphery of the center hole 12 c. The width of one mark 117 (length inthe direction of circumference) is about 1 mm. An area 119 (a markforming area) in the radial direction for forming the disk identifyingmark 117 of allowing image drawing is an area having a radius of 21.0 to22.0 mm from the center of the disk. The data recording layer A existsin this area, however, the area is not recorded, nor reproduced by anordinary optical disk device. An outer peripheral side (an outerperipheral side from the radius of 22.0 mm) of the mark forming area 119is a data recording area 121 for recording the data. An image drawingarea 123 for drawing the image on the image drawing layer B is set as anarea of the outer peripheral side from a radius of 24.0 mm. The markforming area 119 may be set to a further outer peripheral side (forinstance, in the case of the DVD, an area of a radius 22.0 to 24.0 mm,and in the case of the CD, an area of a radius 23.0 to 25.0 mm).

FIG. 33 shows a flow of judging the disk that can draw the image by theoptical disk device 10 when the disk identifying mark 117 of allowingimage drawing is formed as described above. When the optical disk 12 isinserted into the optical disk device, a focus search is carried out(S90). It is judged whether or not the optical disk is a disk having twolayers (S91). The judgment as to whether or not the disk includes thetwo layers by the focus search is carried out depending on whether ornot two focusing positions are obtained, when, for instance, a choppingwave is applied to the focus actuator to drive the objective lens 30(FIG. 2 to FIG. 7) from a lower end position to an upper end position.When the two focusing positions are not obtained, it is judged thatthere is no image drawing layer B to permit the data to be recorded onlyon the laser incident surface 12 a.

When the two focusing positions are obtained, it is judged that theimage can be drawn to allow the laser beam 18 to focus on the datarecording layer A (S92). Then, the area of the data recording layer A onwhich the disk identifying mark 117 of allowing image drawing is formedis traced by the laser beam 18 (S93) to judge whether or not the diskidentifying mark 117 of allowing image drawing is present in accordancewith a periodical increase or decrease of a quantity of reflected light(S94). When the disk identifying mark 117 of allowing image drawing isdetected, it is judged that the image can be drawn on the image drawinglayer B (S95) to draw the image by waiting for an instruction fordrawing the image from the user. On the other hand, when the diskidentifying mark 117 of allowing image drawing is not detected, it isjudged that the image cannot be drawn on the image drawing layer B (S96)to permit the data to be recorded only on the laser incident surface 12a.

1. An optical disk image drawing method of forming a visible image on anoptical disk that includes a data recording layer formed with a trackand storing predetermined information along the track and an imagedrawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed and which isformed on the data recording layer, wherein data is capable of beingrecorded on the data recording layer and visible image is capable ofbeing formed on the image drawing layer by applying a laser beam fromone surface side of the optical disk, the method comprising: rotatingthe optical disk by a spindle motor; focusing a laser beam having areproducing power outputted from an optical pick-up on the datarecording layer and tracking the laser beam on the track of the datarecording layer; reading the predetermined information recorded on thetrack; detecting a predetermined position on the track based on the readpredetermined information as a reference position in the rotatingdirection; measuring a position of the spindle motor in a rotatingdirection with respect to the reference position; changing a focusposition of the laser beam from the data recording layer to the imagedrawing layer after the reference position is detected; starting formingthe visible image on the image drawing layer from a predeterminedrelative position of the spindle motor in the rotating direction withrespect to the reference position based on the measured position of thespindle motor in the rotating direction; and sequentially moving theoptical pick-up in the radial direction synchronously with the rotationof the spindle motor to proceed to form the visible image after theforming operation of the visible image is started.
 2. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the position in therotating direction of the spindle motor with respect to the referenceposition is measured by counting the number of pulses of FG pulsegenerated from the spindle motor.
 3. The optical disk image drawingmethod according to claim 2, wherein a rotating speed of the spindlemotor is controlled to be constant, a time difference between adetecting timing of a predetermined position on the track and agenerating timing of the FG pulse generated adjacently to the detectingtiming is measured, and the position of the spindle motor in therotating direction is measured while the position of the spindle motoris corrected by an amount of the time difference.
 4. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the visible image ispermitted to be formed on the image drawing layer under condition thatthe optical pick-up detects predetermined disk identifying information,which allows image drawing, from the data recording layer of the opticaldisk.
 5. The optical disk image drawing method according to claim 4,wherein the disk identifying information of the disk is described by anyof a sub-code, main data, a specific generation pattern of a CRC error,an ATIP, and ADIP.
 6. The optical disk image drawing method according toclaim 1, wherein the visible image is permitted to be formed on theimage drawing layer under condition that the optical pick-up detects adisk identifying mark, which allows image drawing, formed in an area inan inner periphery side from a data recording area on a disk substratesurface at a side that the data recording layer of the optical disk isarranged or on the data recording layer.
 7. An optical disk imagedrawing method of forming a visible image on an optical disk thatincludes a data recording layer formed with a track and storingpredetermined information along the track and an image drawing layer onwhich the visible image is to be formed and which is laminated on thedata recording layer, wherein data is capable of being recorded on thedata recording layer and visible image is capable of being formed on theimage drawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side ofthe optical disk, the method comprising: rotating the optical disk by aspindle motor; focusing a laser beam having a reproducing poweroutputted from an optical pick-up on the data recording layer andtracking the laser beam on the track of the data recording layer;reading the predetermined information recorded on the track; detecting apredetermined position on the track based on the read predeterminedinformation as a reference position in the rotating direction and in thedisk radial direction; measuring a position of the spindle motor in arotating direction and a position of the optical pickup in a disk radialdirection with respect to the reference position; changing a focusposition of the laser beam from the data recording layer to the imagedrawing layer after the reference position is detected; and startingforming the visible image on the image drawing layer from apredetermined relative position of the spindle motor in the rotatingdirection with respect to the reference position and a predeterminedrelative position of the optical pickup in the disk radial directionwith respect to the reference position based on the measured position ofthe spindle motor in the rotating direction and the measured position ofthe optical pickup in the disk radial direction.
 8. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 7, wherein the visible image ispermitted to be formed on the image drawing layer under condition thatthe optical pick-up detects predetermined disk identifying information,which allows image drawing, from the data recording layer of the opticaldisk.
 9. The optical disk image drawing method according to claim 8,wherein the disk identifying information is described by any of asub-code, main data, a specific generation pattern of a CRC error, anATIP, and ADIP.
 10. The optical disk image drawing method according toclaim 7, wherein the visible image is permitted to be formed on theimage drawing layer under condition that the optical pick-up detects adisk identifying mark, which allows image drawing, formed in an area inan inner periphery side from a data recording area on a disk substratesurface at a side that the data recording layer of the optical disk isarranged or on the data recording layer.
 11. An optical disk imagedrawing method of forming a visible image on an optical disk thatincludes a data recording layer formed with a track and storingpredetermined information along the track and an image drawing layer onwhich the visible image is to be formed and which is laminated on thedata recording layer, wherein data is capable of being recorded on thedata recording layer and visible image is capable of being formed on theimage drawing layer by applying a laser beam from a same surface side ofthe optical disk, the method comprising: rotating the optical disk by aspindle motor; focusing a laser beam having a reproducing poweroutputted from an optical pick-up on the data recording layer andtracking the laser beam on the track of the data recording layer;reading the predetermined information recorded on the track; detecting apredetermined image drawing operation start position on the track fromthe read predetermined information; changing a focus position of thelaser beam from the data recording layer to the image drawing layer at aposition of the optical pickup in a disk radial direction where thepredetermined image drawing operation start position is detected tostart forming the visible image on the image drawing layer; andsequentially moving the optical pick-up in the radial directionsynchronously with the rotation of the spindle motor to proceed to formthe visible image after the forming operation of the visible image isstarted.
 12. The optical disk image drawing method according to claim11, wherein the visible image is permitted to be formed on the imagedrawing layer under condition that the optical pick-up detectspredetermined disk identifying information, which allows image drawing,from the data recording layer of the optical disk.
 13. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 12, wherein the disk identifyinginformation is described by any of a sub-code, main data, a specificgeneration pattern of a CRC error, an ATIP, and ADIP.
 14. The opticaldisk image drawing method according to claim 11, wherein the visibleimage is permitted to be formed on the image drawing layer undercondition that the optical pick-up detects a disk identifying mark,which allows image drawing, formed in an area in an inner periphery sidefrom a data recording area on a disk substrate surface at a side thatthe data recording layer of the optical disk is arranged or on the datarecording layer.
 15. An optical disk image drawing method of forming avisible image on an optical disk that includes a data recording layerformed with a track and storing position information along the track andan image drawing layer on which the visible image is to be formed andwhich is laminated on the data recording layer, wherein data is capableof being recorded on the data recording layer and visible image iscapable of being formed on the image drawing layer by applying a laserbeam from a same surface side of the optical disk, the methodcomprising: (a) rotating the optical disk by a spindle motor; (b)reading the position information recorded on the track by focusing alaser beam having a reproducing power outputted from an optical pick-upon the data recording layer by a focus control and tracking the laserbeam on the track of the data recording layer by a tracking control; (c)holding the tracking control and changing a focus position of the laserbeam from the data recording layer to the image drawing layer at aposition in a disk radial direction where the position informationrepresenting a predetermined image drawing operation start position isdetected and carrying out a forming operation of the visible image to beformed at a position in the disk radial direction from a predeterminedposition of the spindle motor in the rotating direction; (d) setting thelaser beam to a reproducing power, returning the focus position of thelaser beam from the image drawing layer to the data recording layer andtracking the laser beam on the track of the data recording layer afterthe forming operation of the visible image at the position in the radialdirection is completed; (e) holding the tracking control and changing afocus position of the laser beam from the data recording layer to theimage drawing layer at a position of the track adjacent to the positionin the disk radial direction where the tracking control has been heldand carrying out the forming operation of the visible image to be formedat a position in the disk radial direction from a predetermined positionof the spindle motor in the rotating direction; and (f) subsequentlyrepeating the steps (d) and (e) to sequentially move the radial positionwhere the forming operation of the visible image is carried out at apitch of the track and form the visible image.
 16. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 15, wherein the visible image tobe formed has a no-image area in the radial direction where the visibleimage does not need to be formed in an intermediate position in theradial direction, and the method further comprises the steps of: settingthe laser beam to the reproducing power, and focusing the laser beam tothe data recording layer when the position in the radial direction wherethe forming operation of the visible image is performed reaches a startposition of the no-image area; seeking a forming operation restartposition of the visible image that passes an end position of theno-image area based on the position information recorded in the datarecording layer; holding the tracking control and changing the focusposition of the laser beam from the data recording layer to the imagedrawing layer at a position where the forming operation restart positionof the visible image is sought; and carrying out the forming operationto be formed at the position where the forming operation restartposition of the visible image is sought from the predetermined positionof the spindle motor in the rotating direction.
 17. The optical diskimage drawing method according to claim 15, wherein the visible image ispermitted to be formed on the image drawing layer under condition thatthe optical pick-up detects predetermined disk identifying information,which allows image drawing, from the data recording layer of the opticaldisk.
 18. The optical disk image drawing method according to claim 17,wherein the disk identifying information is described by any of asub-code, main data, a specific generation pattern of a CRC error, anATIP, and ADIP.
 19. The optical disk image drawing method according toclaim 15, wherein the visible image is permitted to be formed on theimage drawing layer under condition that the optical pick-up detects adisk identifying mark, which allows image drawing, formed in an area inan inner periphery side from a data recording area on a disk substratesurface at a side that the optical pick-up of the optical disk isarranged or on the data recording layer.